The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1887-09-10
The Charges Against Thomas l..
Graham.

Graham.
The committee of seven, elected bY
the Board of Public Education of Will
mingtou TO examine into the charges
against Thomas l.. Graham. principal OF
the Wilmington High School aud fog.
merly principal Ut the Elkton Academy.
began the work of Investigation on Tues
day evening. Miss Hare and Miss Py L..
assistant teachers submitted written
statements cmbniy ing in detail the
ch lr4"s IN ,,le by them against Mr. Ora
ham. ,uL i',.usbnry ]. Wiley ,dr an
oral statement eff his connection with
the school as chairman of the visiting
cDmmjtlrc during III" year lSN6 All of
the testimony taken was under oath.
co'uprtancy, uutruthiu'neSS, nnccntle-
manly conduct, ruucn,sS, !acn of dis
cjpine and tne melting of iusnbordina-
tiol among pupils. Miss Hare said that
Mr. Graham had threa' ened to have her
put out of the school, and SAID SIZE did
not know enough to teach, the reason
why other principals had not dI, covered
this fact being because they knew no
mor,, than she did. Her testimony showed
bad feeling against the principal. The
| charge Of untruthtulnesS was i'll refer
ence TO Mr.. Graham's stating that
she has refused to come to his room.
! She had not charged Mr.. Graham with
using profane language. nug@ntlemanly
was the word used The insults offered
she said, had consisted in sending her
class back after she had dismissed it. On
several occasions the principal had used
violent language, the last time in March
| 1881 when he told her that he would
| have her put out of the school and said
| the boys could teach her algtb bra. She
| considered Mr.. Graham cnmpetant to
! teach if he would work. Miss p le tes-
| titled chat NJ. Graham had haI&ngued
| her scholars. She submitted a programme
of studies at the school that proved that
! both Miss Hare and Miss Pyle were given
the higher classes while Mr.. Graham took
the lower oues. Stansbury Wiley, chair
man OF the visiting committee had told
| Mr. Graham that he had the ability to
| teach but was too lazy.
Ga Wednesday evening the investiga
ton was continued.
Superintendent lIarlin was the first
witness called. He did not appear to have
the best feeling towards Mr. Graham.
He believed in the main that Mr.. era
ham had been III the wrong III the trohble.
Mr.. Graham had treated him i'll an un-
geutlemauIy manner. The witness con-
tinued, Il talked with him once about
the teaching of realizing. penmanship and
spelling il tue boys department.. We
differed and the discussion became
warm. told hin' thought some of the
bows should have pr lctica in reading and
be able to read audibly. He repeated the
word audibly, and said : Audible, au-
dibly, the bray o! an ass is audible. IL
der the circumstances | took this to be
PERSONAL. On subsequent occasion |
asked if he had restored the studies
named. to which he replied No, and |
don't intend TO. Nnu are doing this
thing To annoy and prosecute me.
won't do it, and, if need be. I'll night you
beior, the board. I've more friends there
than You have; You doa't bray like an
ass; you sneak ar 'uud like pole cat
then left. Graham WAS very angry
The witness was asked if Mr.. Graham
had asked him to fight. lie replied. i
had a talk with him about matter
something he charged me with having
said about him. told him he was mis-
taken. ii replied that 1t was jnst like
me; always hid under the petticoatS of
the women then SAID to him, | can do
, but one ui two things, either strike you
or laugh at You, and prefer to do the
latter. He said he wished | would strike
him, and dared me to do so. saying he
could whip me. | told him that he was
probably my physical superior. You
dare not fight lie replied. | then left
HIM"
Mr.. Graham told a lady teacher IL at
witness had the principle of skunk.
Miss Lizzie ID. Hopes an assistant
teacher on being sworn testified that she
believed that Miss Hare and Mss Pyle
did all they could in assisting Mr.. Ora
ham 70 organize. She had not as much
business with Mr.. Graham as the two la
dies just mentioned. Her intercourse
! with MIR. Graham was pleasant. He was
regular III getting his reports from the
| three lower rooms.
MISS Hopes saw no gentlemanly
! conduct in Mr.. Graham: knew OF no un-
truth; but did know him to be late on
| two occasions, once on an examination
morning when she had to get the janitor
to open the office door il order to get the
| examination questions out.